Yeast Hand Pies on Water, Pan-Fried

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make pan-fried yeast hand pies on water? Measure out the ingredients. Use top-quality wheat flour and refined, odorless vegetable oil.

2. Step 2:

   

   How do you knead yeast dough on water? Dissolve the dry yeast in warm water (no hotter than 40°C). Add the sugar and salt and stir. Yeast becomes active in a warm environment, dies in a hot one, and won't wake up in a cold one. Leave the sponge in a warm place for 10 minutes. In that time, a foamy cap should form on the surface. If it doesn't, the yeast is dead or expired — better to use a different batch, or the baking won't rise.

3. Step 3:

   

   Pour in the refined vegetable oil.

4. Step 4:

   

   Be sure to sift the flour to aerate it. The fluffiness of the finished baking depends on it. Also keep in mind that flour varies in its properties, so you may need a little more or a little less than the recipe states. You can read more in the article linked at the end of the recipe.

5. Step 5:

   

   Pour the liquid yeast mixture into the bowl of sifted flour.

6. Step 6:

   

   Stir. Not all the flour will be absorbed, but that's exactly how it should be.

7. Step 7:

   

   Pour in the boiling water, quickly stirring the mixture with a spoon.

8. Step 8:

   

   Gradually knead the dough. You'll need to knead it for quite a while (about 10–15 minutes), until it stops sticking to your hands.

9. Step 9:

   

   The dough comes out smooth, even, and elastic. If it sticks to your hands too much, add a little more vegetable oil (about 1–2 tbsp).

10. Step 10:

    

    Cover the bowl of dough with a kitchen towel and leave it in a warm place for 40–50 minutes (I use the oven for this, set to 50°C). In that time it should roughly double or triple in volume.

11. Step 11:

    

    While the dough proofs, make the filling. How do you make a potato filling for hand pies? Wash and peel the potatoes and onion.

12. Step 12:

    

    How do you boil the potatoes for the filling? Put them in cold water and set over low heat. Salt the water. Wait until it boils, then reduce the heat. Cook the potatoes for about 30 minutes — they should be easy to pierce with a knife.

13. Step 13:

    

    Rinse the onion and the knife with cold water so the onion juice doesn't sting your eyes as much. Cut the onion into small cubes.

14. Step 14:

    

    Pour vegetable oil with a high smoke point into a skillet. Heat it up. Lower in a wooden spatula — if bubbles gather around it, the oil is ready to fry the onion until golden.

15. Step 15:

    

    Drain the potatoes. Add the sautéed onion. Mash it into a purée by whatever method is handiest — I use an ordinary potato masher.

16. Step 16:

    

    The filling for the pies is ready.

17. Step 17:

    

    By now the dough has surely risen nicely.

18. Step 18:

    

    Dust the work surface with flour. Turn out the dough. Divide it into equal balls (you should get 22–24).

19. Step 19:

    

    Press each ball out by hand into a round about 0.5 cm thick. Place a spoonful of filling in the center.

20. Step 20:

    

    Pinch the edges shut firmly, leaving no gaps.

21. Step 21:

    

    Now gently flatten the pie.

22. Step 22:

    

    Set the shaped pies seam-side down on a flour-dusted surface.

23. Step 23:

    

    Pour plenty of vegetable oil (with a high smoke point) into a skillet. How do you check that the oil is hot enough? Lower in a wooden spatula. If bubbles gather around it, it's ready. Carefully, so as not to get burned, add the pies. Fry them just 2–3 minutes per side, until golden.

24. Step 24:

    

    Transfer the golden finished pies to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Enjoy!